SIAMAK SHIRAZI BABAK AMINI NW TOUR - 2020 ARTISTS BaSiaNova is a musical collaboration between Babak Amini and Siamak Shirazi which started in Winter of 2017. Their unique perspectives about music and life is expressed in their upcoming album, coming out this Fall, and live performances. MUSIC They are combining more than 30 years of Babak’s experience as an award-winning performer, composer, arranger, and producer, and Siamak’s experience as a wellness guru and a vocalist. Their sound represents a fusion between Jazz, Flamenco, and contemporary Persian music and creates a rare, Avangard style of live performance. SIAMAK SHIRAZI Siamak has a natural talent for music which started manifesting as early as when he was two years old. He grew up in a family who loved and enjoyed music. He started reciting poetry and singing when he was six years old. Music has remained to be an anchor for his soul through the rough seas of his life, and he always found a way to return to this natural outlet for expression of his innermost feelings. Siamak used to be a professional singer in mid-1980s but set that aside to attend college and later, build a career in Wellness Based Medicine. However, in addition to growing his wellness enterprise, Siamak has always remained a music lover and a musician at heart. And now after taking a 25-year hiatus, he is returning back to music.He is privileged to collaborate with one of the best in the business, Mr. Babak Amini on his comeback project. Babak has been an essential part of Siamak’s vision for his return to singing, and his beautiful soul is ever-present as the energy which is traveling through Siamak’s voice. BABAK AMINI Babak is a highly talented and accomplished Iranian, Canadian Musician Composer, Guitarist, and a member of American Guitar Society (CSUN University, Northridge, CA). He is also a member of Toronto Musicians’ Association, (TMA) and an instructor of Canada Music Academy. Babak Amini was born in April 1970 in Tehran, Iran. He was always amused by the world of music and his first experience of music was with his mentor and renowned teacher Mr. Shahrokh Partovi which he began at the age of 10 and his style being Flamenco. He then followed his ambition by the only master of all trades in guitar, Mr. Simon Aivazian. He entered the professional world at the age of 18. His first album was introduced in 1990 and was called ‘Gray Rain’ followed by ‘Blue of the Rain’. He then released his third album, ‘Shadow of My Own’, which had vocals that was based on poets such as Hafez, Molana, Babataher and Nima. Babak’s curier comprises a vast array of accomplishments, amongst which are the music director and the band leader for many prominent Iranian singers and musicians, including: Googoosh, Ebi, Faramarz Aslani, . BAND John Nastos - Saxophone & flute Multi-instrumentalist John Nastos was born and raised in Portland, Oregon, where he found his love of music while exploring the vibrant local music scene. John has performed with the who’s who of the Portland scene, including the Mel Brown Septet, the Oregon Symphony, the Third Angle New Music Ensemble, Darrell Grant’s On the Territory, and the Christopher Brown Quartet. Nastos’s composition, arranging, and compositional skills have been commissioned for performances and recordings by Damian Erskine, the Bobby Torres Ensemble, the Art Abrams Swing Machine, Portland State University, and Pink Martini (for performances with the San Francisco Symphony and other orchestras around the world). He has toured extensively with Grammy-winning vocalist Dianne Schuur, playing performances with her in the United States, Europe, and Asia. He has also toured with the Grammy-winning artist Esperanza Spalding. Nastos is currently on faculty at Portland State University, and maintains a busy performing, recording, and teaching schedule around the Portland area. Matthew Holmes - Contrabass Matthew Holmes is a bassist and creative entrepreneur born in Portland, Oregon where he grew up. Studying with Portland greats like Tim Gilson, Neal Grandstaff, and Phil Baker, Matthew learned how to learn from the masters and set about cutting his teeth at jam sessions. In 2014, he worked as a bassist for Holland America and since returning from sea, he has found work with many projects performing and recording Americana, funk, rock, gospel, bluegrass, country, pop, world and jazz around the Northwest and Southwest US. His diverse experience has given him a sensitive style of accompaniment that supports the music as it is. Darian Anthony - Drums/Percussion Darian Anthony Patrick is a musician based in Portland, OR. Focusing on percussion, with training in classical and stage voice and bass guitar, Darian performs a broad range of musical styles with particular focus on Black American and African diasporic traditions. Darian has studied percussion in Portland, OR with masters Israel Annoh (Ebo Taylor, E.T. Mensah, Obo Addy, Ghana Broadcasting Orchestra) and Caton Lyles (Nu Shooz). Prior to moving to Portland in 2014, he spent three years in a private vocal study with master vocalist John Nicholas Peters, preparatory vocal study with Anjin Stewart-Funai at Cleveland Institute of Music, and private study with Elise Mark at Temple University. BAND Chris Brown - Drums/Percussion Former NYC area resident Christopher Brown is now back home in Portland, OR following a four-year enlistment in the Marines, two music degrees from Rutgers University, several adjunct teaching positions at his alma mater, and a slew of performances both within the states and abroad. And as of September 2017, Christopher has become a retired member of the armed forces with his 20 years of military service having been completed with the Army National Guard. Since his initial enlistment, and subsequent move to and from the East coast, he has had the privilege of either performing and/or recording with such notable artists as Beyonce, Branford Marsalis, Delfeayo Marsalis, Roy Hargrove, Benny Golson, Jimmy Heath, Lee Konitz, Paquito Di Rivera, David Sanborn, Randy Brecker, Mel Brown, Esperanza Spalding, John Patitucci, Sean Jones, Arturo O’Farrill, Roseanna Vitro and many more. Nat Hulskamp - Flamenco guitar Nat is a versatile guitarist with a background in flamenco guitar. Nat studied, performed and recorded in Spain with many of the top flamenco artists, including Diego del Morao, Tomasa la Macanita and Antonio Rey. Much of his work has included a fusion of flamenco music with Middle Eastern traditions which led him to study Persian music. Nat has also performed with Shabava, Dariush Eghbali and Faramarz Aslani. Greg Goebel - Piano From straight ahead jazz, funk and pop, to the avant garde, Greg Goebel is considered one of the Northwest’s first call pianists. Praised by critics for “manifesting his ideas with the immediacy and sureness of a master craftsman” (Jazz Times) and as “a force that is stretching known boundaries and moving the music into new territory” (Larry Koonse), pianist Greg Goebel shows himself as firmly rooted in tradition while simultaneously proving to be a unique voice among a new generation. PRESS “Siamak’s voice so deep and resonant, and Babak’s music so smooth, it penetrated all hearts & souls attended. I did indeed feel transported to a mental, emotional, and peaceful place. I did not want it to end.” __Kenneth Paltrow “Babak Amini’s arrangements and amazing guitar, mixed with the vocals of Siamak Shirazi blend to provide an invigorating, yet relaxing sound, calling for each of us to be more understanding and appreciative of the challenges of the world today.” __Brenda Eichelberger VENUES PLAYED • Wembley Stadium, London • Zenith La Villette, Paris • Staples Center, Los Angeles • The Forum, Inglewood • Microsoft Theater (formerly Nokia Theatre) • Honda Center, Anaheim * Babak Amini . CONTACT Siamak Shirazi 503-515-5225 [email protected].